Municipalities are struggling, scraping by, grappling with tax caps and unfunded mandates. But somehow, in 2011, Mount Vernon was left with an extra $4.5 million.

City Comptroller Maureen Walker says they’ve had surpluses year after year because they budget conservatively.

“We do look at every penny that we, you know, try to spend, and cut those expenditures. We do not allow them to go on a rampage in terms of spending because the money is there,” she told WCBS 880’s Sean Adams. “Dotting the Is, crossing the Ts, in terms of collecting… money that we’re supposed to be collecting and cutting all unnecessary expenditures.”

Now before people get too excited, they need to fast forward to the 2013 budget.

Revenue projections are down and expenses are up, Adams reported. Plus, the police force is due for a raise.

$4.5 million can vanish pretty fast and there could be tough times ahead. But no one is talking about cuts or layoffs just yet.